Home Insurance in Essex County, Massachusetts
With a median home value of $619,100, Essex County is 10% higher than the Massachusetts median.
Because older housing stock often has aging wiring, roofing or plumbing, it can cost more to insure or rebuild. The typical home in Essex County was built around 1960. About 50% of homes were built before 1960, about 3 points above Massachusetts's 46%.
In Essex County, the housing stock is 56% single-family homes and 21% apartments in buildings with 5+ units. The rest are 2-4 unit or other housing types.
About 70% of owner-occupied homes in Essex County have a mortgage. Lenders require hazard (homeowners) insurance on any home carrying a mortgage.
About 63% of occupied homes in Essex County are owner-occupied. The vacancy rate is 5%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy.
Most homes in Essex County - 56% - are primarily heated with natural gas. Homes heated with fuel oil can carry added fire risk. Fuel-tank leaks and spills are often excluded from standard homeowners policies.
FEMA's National Risk Index lists coastal flooding (Very High), inland flooding (Relatively High) and earthquake (Relatively Moderate) as the leading hazards for Essex County. Standard homeowners policies exclude earthquake, so separate coverage is usually needed.
Essex County had 8,754 active National Flood Insurance Program policies as of September 2026. Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy.
In Massachusetts, the statewide average premium for a standard HO-3 homeowners policy is $2,134 per year (NAIC, 2023 data).
Key figures
| Median home value | $619,100 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1960 |
| Owner-occupied share | 63% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 70% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Coastal Flooding (Very High), Inland Flooding (Relatively High), Earthquake (Relatively Moderate) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 8,754 |
| Home insurance premium | $2,134 - statewide average (NAIC, 2023 data) |
Towns and cities
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer Files (2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates (2024)
- FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025)
- FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Policies v3 (2026)
- NAIC Dwelling Fire, Homeowners Owner-Occupied, and Homeowners Tenant and Condominium/Cooperative Unit Owners Insurance: Data for 2023 (published 2026) (2023)